Just Another Day in the Cage
by Spotedleaf5
Summary: Series of short fics from Lucifer's Cage. Daily updates, mostly one shots for now.
1. Chapter 1

Sam hadn't meant to get attached; but being pinned in a cage with two archangels and his brother, it didn't do wonders for sanity. Sam guessed he was a bit insane; after all, he trusted Lucifer to protect him. There weren't limits for the cage but at the same time it was very compact, everyone pinned together, yet you could wander for days on end in the bleak expanse.

Sam and Adam usually rested their backs on a rock and watched the brothers fight. Every so often they'd exchange a few words about what they missed from Earth, but that was it. They were brothers by blood, not by family. Every so often Michael and Lucifer's fight moved closer to them. In the early days they moved away, but they'd since learned that Michael and Lucifer had no interest in them; the only danger was in getting hit by a stray punch. Adam had learned that the hard way.

Lucifer and Michael got the fight they wanted. Every day. Sam lost track of exactly how many of those there were. He didn't sleep; weather a side effect of the preparation for being a vessel or a fact of being in the cage, he was not sure. The battle was a daily and continuous thing yet it never really ended. In the beginning everything was Michael and Lucifer at each other with punches and insults, until one day Michael's blows were misplaced and hit Sam instead. Michael was stunned for a moment and Lucifer had the opportunity to stab him in the back and finally end this; but he didn't. That day was the one day the fighting paused; for a good ten seconds Michael and Lucifer were united in concern over this weak little human. Michael turned to face his brother.

"You care about him?" He asked. "A human?"

"He is my vessel," Lucifer replied tautly.

"The humans, you fell because you didn't care." Michael's expression remained stony but something warmed in his eyes.

"I know what happened. Every bloody detail. You let it." Lucifer spat.

"And after all that, the atonement you seek, you would care for one life?"

"He is my vessel; I care for him under no other pretense." Lucifer crossed his arms.

"I almost thought you were learning. I should have known better." Michaels eyes went cold again and his face became grim.

"You should have." And with that being said, the fighting began again.

Sam rubbed his jaw; pulled from his fascination in the exchange between brothers by a twinging pain. Michael got a punch in on Lucifer and Sam almost swore it was like Lucifer was distracted by Sam's pain. The fighting inevitably moved closer to Sam and Adam again; this time Michael purposely struck Sam. Through the blood pooling over his eye he could see that Lucifer went ballistic. He pinned Michael down and set fire to Adam; Sam sat helpless as he heard his half-brother's screams.

"You would do this out of spite? Release him!" Michael commanded.

"If my vessel is to be made hurt yours shall be as well." Adam cried out as the flames increased.

"Enough of this," Exclaimed Sam. "Why can't you just admit you're wrong, yes, both of you, and get over it." Michael shoved Sam to the ground where his head connect to a rock.

"This is before your time, boy," Michael sneered, "do not presume to have any input in a matter that is not yours." Sam spat out some blood. He was faintly aware the flames on Adam had dimmed significantly.

"The problem is you're too proud to admit you're wrong, either of you. All you know is how to destroy." Sam's head was throbbing but his speech was thankfully still coherent.

"My brother was correct, Sam, this really is none of your business." Lucifer stared down at him condescendingly.

"I was born to be a vessel so it damn well is my business." Sam pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'm a human; my species started this brawl. My species suffered because you two won't get your heads out of your asses long enough to see that your pride ruined your love." This struck a cord and Sam was sure he was going to be beaten to a pulp.

"We are above you!" Lucifer ground out.

"Have you forgotten what you fell for?! Father told us we are no better than them!"

"But we are! Look at these petty creatures groveling for their lives, a timeframe, which, for us, is no greater than a blink of the eye. We're the ones dad should love, his firstborns, not these flawed creatures!"

"No, you're not," Sam was still sore but this was the closest to resolving this conflict they'd ever gotten to. "You call us flawed? Look at you, fighting your brother to the death! You're supposed to love your family!"

"I did. I loved them more than humans and they cast me out!"

"We were created to do as Father asked! But you didn't love him enough to get over yourself and complete his request. He left us because you broke his heart!"

Lucifer tackled Michael and the fighting resumed.

**AN:** Started as a "what if Lucifer protected Sam in the cage?" and turned into general family angst talking about their feelings. Reviews mean a ton, possible updates if anyone's interested.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael let Adam watch as Sam, or was it Lucifer?, pulled them into a gaping pit in the earth. Air rushed past Adam's head as he waited for an impact. The worst part was waiting; knowing that he could be squished like a fly at any moment. Of course he flailed and desperately tried to grab onto some tether to the real world. He kept trying but it didn't work.

He could feel Michael's consciousness was present for this as well but the angel didn't seem too concerned with getting out, all Adam could feel was a white-hot rage. They fell for what seemed like hours until they finally collided with a hard packed ground. Suddenly all traces of Michael's rage left Adam's mind and he was left breathing heavily on the ground. He allowed himself to blink a few times and take in the scenery; not that there was much to see.

It looked endless; the immediate close ground appeared much like a desert with a few rocks thrown here and there. About ten feet from him Sam is brushing off his jacket and standing up, farther away a blonde and a brunette are eyeing each other as they slowly rise. Sam jogs over to Adam.

"We've got to get out of here, those are Lucifer and Michael and they're about to have the biggest grudge match you've ever seen."

"Hello brother," says the blonde.

"Lucifer," acknowledges who Adam assumes to be Michael. They begin circling eachother.

"Why should I trust you? You ran, you left me!"

"We didn't know the door would shut, we tried everything to find a way to get Michael out of you after that."

"Then why didn't Dean just say yes! Michael was settling for me, all Dean had to do was say yes and I'd be free in a heartbeat."

"Adam, I swear I can explain but we need to get out of here," Michael is lunging at Lucifer with a small sword and the duel begins. Adam can see the hatred, hell, he's felt it, but could he trust Sam, to protect him this time? Michael hadn't ever wanted him, it had always been Dean, he couldn't imagine it being much different in the pit.

"Alright, let's go." He and Sam set off running in the opposite direction of the fighting. Adam could hear insults flying and clangs of swords connecting but he didn't dare look back.

They ran for probably ten minutes, half of which was spent carefully dodging rocks and pausing for Adam to tie his goddamned shoelaces. His legs began to feel like jelly a few minutes ago but he'd pushed on until he was out of breath and coughing up blood from exertion.

"I can't do this," he sucked in a breath that wasn't nearly large enough, "anymore." Sam stopped from where he was a few paces in front of him. He almost was embarrassed his older brother was in better shape than him, but he was really too sore to care.

"Okay, okay, we can rest for a bit," Adam collapsed onto the rocks and let their crevices stab him in the back. It was a good kind of pain, it distracted him. Sam sat down next to him.

"They're not going to bother us I don't think," Sam said matter-of-factly. "How much did you know?" Adam started to speak but ended up in a coughing fit. "It's fine, whenever you're ready," Sam told him.

"The basics," he could still hear his heart pounding in his chest. "Someone needed to be Michael's vessel to protect the world from Lucifer, and that I could be that someone." He gulped down some more air. "Except I ended up being bait. Dean was the chosen one, not me," he said bitterly.

"It's not someone you want to be," Sam said in his big-brotherly way. The way he sounded like he knew everything pissed Adam off to no end.

"You don't know that! Maybe for once in my life I was excited to be important, to be needed. You and Dean hunt and save people every day—you're heroes. Me, well I'm just the forgotten bastard son."

"Dean and I didn't even know you existed, if we had we would have searched for you. You have to believe you're important to us."

"Maybe I don't want you! Ever since you guys showed up in my life I've been tortured and possessed. All I wanted was my mom back, and you guys are no substitute." His breathing was leveling out again which he supposed was a good thing. Sam sat in silence for a moment taking it all in.

"I'm sorry Adam. I'm sorry your mom got stuck in the crossfire. I'm sorry Dean and my destinies screwed up your life. I'm sorry you didn't get a normal life, but we can't do anything about it now-"

"Hey, do you hear that?" Adam asked. He could have sworn he'd heard the shouting of Michael and Lucifer again.

"We should run, you good?" Adam just looked up at him unimpressed. "Yeah, you're good," and took off in the same direction they'd been going before. Adam was quick to follow him.

They didn't run long before they ran into the same clearing again.

"We couldn't have run more than a thousand feet," Sam exclaimed in confusion. Yeah, Adam was definitely embarrassed now, but looking back the rocks had made it harder…

"And now we're back in the same spot we always ran in the opposite direction of?"

"The cage must have some boundaries or something," Sam sat and rubbed his temple.

"So we're stuck with them?"

"It would appear so."

**AN:** These aren't in any particular order, they can be read as one shots, some may build off others, it's really too soon to tell... Aiming to update once a day, reviews will only make me a better writer and I do smile a lot when I read them :)


	3. Chapter 3

Time passed, or maybe it didn't; it was hard to say without requiring food or sleep, the normal time markers of a day. Sam and Adam had long ago given up trying to test the boundaries of the cage and had settled down to watch the ongoing match between Lucifer and Michael and, well, it did get tedious.

"Can I at least get some popcorn with the show?" Adam had taken to heckling to pass the time. He may or may not be going insane, Sam got the feeling that was what the cage did. Michael and Lucifer continued thrusting their blades in their endless duel.

"Do you think they'll ever stop? That one of them will make a mistake and that'll be the end," Adam asked wistfully. Sam was struck by the innocence of the question, something a child would ask, and yet at the same time Adam sounded like he was a long-suffering veteran of war.

"Honestly, I don't know. I just don't. People, people can change, but these are angels, warriors of God, I don't know why God would have thought it important to create them with free will." Adam nodded like he accepted that too.

"Do you think they could learn?"

"Maybe, I mean they know how to use smartphones so why not?"

"I don't want to be here anymore, Sam, I can feel myself going insane. Maybe if they could change, get over all this, God would let them out and let us out."

"It's a nice thought," Sam agreed.

"God could get us out of this, couldn't he? COULDN'T HE?" Michael and Lucifer were momentarily distracted by the mention of their Father.

"Adam-"

"I don't deserve this," Adam whispered in a hoarse voice. "I didn't do anything, He has to know that, but does He care?"

"I'm truly sorry you're only just learning," Lucifer strolled towards them head downcast. "He doesn't always return our love for Him. He asks too much, expects too much; I am sorry your faith has been disillusioned."

"You know that's a lie. He is perfect, one of only two perfect beings, everything He allows to happen happens for a reason," Michael frowned at his brother.

"Then why did He force you to cast me out? If He's so perfect why couldn't He forgive His favorite son?"

"Because you weren't perfect, He saw His failed creation and knew it must be destroyed."

"Then riddle me this, how does a perfect being create a mistake? You see, He had to have wanted this. A son who would question who would make Him earn his love."

"You're wrong, brother, we were all created perfect, but you, you learned corruption. You were perfect, exactly as He wanted until you were corrupted."

"God is supposed to love everyone," Adam chimed in. He seemed to enjoy adding fuel to the fire.

"God is supposed to love the worthy," Sam contradicted.

"Our Father is, how the humans say, an asshat," Lucifer said trying out the word.

"How dare you! Father is good, He knows what is best," Michael intoned as if he'd been taught no other way of thinking.

"Then why are you here? Why is Sam here? Why is Adam here? Father knows he didn't deserve this," Lucifer muttered.

"I'm here because it's the price I pay, it is what He asked. He asked me to protect humans from your corruption, if staying with you is the only way I can do that, I will do what I must. As for Sam and Adam, their presence is unfortunate but it is necessary."

"You're nothing but a slave to Him, Michael, can't you see?"

"And you're nothing but a disgrace," Michael pulled out his sword and moved to strike, but was met with the stiff clang of Lucifer's quick draw.

Adam and Sam were quick to remove themselves from the situation again.

"Is it awful I'm sympathizing with the Devil?"

"You can't Adam. That's how he works, he'll gain your sympathy and manipulate you till you're no longer useful."

"In comparison to Michael, though, he's a saint. Michael isn't even clued into human emotions enough to know how to manipulate us."

"They're older and more powerful and prouder than us, they're going to use us."

"But being used by Lucifer, it's not as bad. Lucifer at least makes an effort to manipulate you so in the end when you get played you know that's what happened. Michael… he's unable of sympathy."

"And you think Lucifer is?"

"I think he knows we'll feel better if we're played. Michael, he's honest that he didn't want me, that Dean was his first choice, but Lucifer always wanted you Sam. He cares about you."

"Well, yeah, because I'm his vessel."

"It's more than that, Michael would be willing to burn me up if it meant he'd be able to destroy Lucifer, but Lucifer, I think he feels pretty shitty that he's put you through everything."

"It's a guise so I'll say yes. He fell because he wanted to destroy humans, Adam, it's not going to change."

"I think he fell because he was like us; he was proud, he felt emotion."

"That," Sam was going to say it was crazy but, "it does make a disturbing amount of sense."

"They're never going to be able to resolve this then. Michael will never care how Lucifer feels; to Michael, Lucifer isn't his brother, he's a mission."

"You might be the smartest one here," Sam admitted.

"I'm not, I'm just a new point of view," Adam sighed.

**AN: **Sorry this took so long, the first 300 words have been sitting around since last update and the rest of the story finally showed up this morning. Remember reviews only make me better!


	4. Chapter 4

What's the worst part of being in the cage? Surprisingly, not the constant fighting. The fighting is actually quite entertaining until they hit a stalemate, which inevitably brings Sam, and therefore, Adam, in to mediate. Communicating with the angels can prove entertaining, but it could also end with you being set on fire. Adam was tired of playing it safe. He wondered if he could die, it'd be a nice release. He'd never been on fire long enough to find out, though. Sam didn't protect him for familial love; he protected him because it was better to be miserable with company.

Today Lucifer said some choice words about dear old dad, and Michael got pissy. Michael getting pissy wasn't important to Adam, but through their connection he felt the agitation. And screw this! He didn't want to be forever tied to an emotionally unstable archangel, much less have it affect him.

Point being: Michael is angry, Adam is Angry. And there's probably some great quote from a politician about being blinded by hatred, but who cares! For as long as they've been down here, Adam is starting to think years have passed. It makes him mad. He never wanted this; no one told him he'd end up in a place worse than Hell.

Adam was used to the small bit of aggression he felt from Michael fighting Lucifer, but this rage was barely leaving room for thought. Adam had to go get Lucifer to apologize or whatever before this much anger drove him mad!

Adam moved swiftly with purpose to the quadrant Lucifer had chosen for himself. He heard Sam telling him to go away, but he had a match to settle. He found Lucifer sitting on a rock, thoughtfully staring into the abyss. Lucifer had his back to Adam, but Adam thought it was better this way.

"Apologize to Michael," Adam commands. Lucifer continues sitting and doing nothing. Sam rises and begins to approach.

"Adam, you should go," Sam says warningly.

"Go where? What's he going to do? I'm already in Hell!" Adam sneers. "I said, 'Apologize to Michael'," he shouts at Lucifer's back.

"Adam, go now. Leave!" Sam begs him.

"The boy wants an audience, Sam, let him have one," Lucifer says wearily, turning himself to face the humans. Adam notes his eyes are red, but not with anger.

"Apologize to Michael!"

"Is he broken?" Lucifer whispers to Sam mockingly. Sam rubs the bridge of his nose.

"Here we go," Sam mutters to himself.

"Michael's angry; the only person he talks to is you. You made him mad; now go apologize," Adam repeats.

"Adam, just go, calm yourself down a bit," Sam offers weakly.

"You want me to apologize? For what? Michael is angry because he upset me," Lucifer sees the spark of recognition on Adam's face. "Not so clever now, are we, boy," he sneers.

Putting two and two together, Adam leaves Sam with Lucifer. It looks like he's confronting Michael instead. In nearly forty paces he reaches Michael's area, it seems the closer he gets to Michael, the hotter his rage burns. So when he does finally find the angel, Adam begins to chew him out.

"Oh, this is rich, you're angry at yourself," he taunts. "Ashamed to have hurt your brother," Adam accuses. Michael takes a moment to gather himself and then looks Adam right in the eye.

"I will only warn you once; I am not your guardian angel, I am not responsible for caring for you, and I am not kind. You're playing with fire and you're going to get burnt."

"I'm tired of feeling your rage. All that anger you think you're stuffing down inside yourself? You're putting it in me, and I am not your garbage can where you can put unhappy memories! I'm a human!"

"You feel it, don't you? All my rage I'm putting inside of you. It burns you to know you'll never have full control over yourself or your feelings." Just for effect, Michael set Adam on fire.

"You can't do this! I'm important!" Adam yelps, dropping to roll on the rocky ground. His attempt is futile, the fire stays.

"This all-consuming rage, it burns you," the flames jumped for emphasis. "Let this be your lesson, boy, you will never be in a position to barter with me. You are nothing to me. Dean Winchester was my destined and you were always just second best," Michael spat as the flames raged on.

**AN:** Okay, I've been putting off posting a chapter for a while because I'm debating adding pairings, so I need your responses! Should this go to Samifer? (Possible Adam/Michael later, and thoughts on that?) I really need your feedback!


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